Celebrating Burns Night and the poetry of Robert Burns is a cherished tradition I got used to while studying at St. Andrews in Scotland. The beauty of Fife makes it easy to appreciate this cultural event. Burns Night is enthusiastically celebrated across Scotland and has gained popularity throughout the UK and beyond.
This annual event is a perfect excuse to throw a wonderful dinner party, enjoy fine wines and Scotch whisky, and immerse yourself in the beautiful poetry that Burns gifted to the world. You likely know Burns best from singing “Auld Lang Syne” on New Year’s Day—a song he penned over 250 years ago and one of his most beloved poems worldwide.
After Burns passed away in 1796, his friends held a memorial dinner where they recited his poems, indulged in “haggis, neeps, and tatties,” and drank in good spirits. Nowadays, folks globally gather to celebrate his life and works on January 25th, his birthday.
Hosting your own “Burns Supper” is a charming way to honor Robert Burns. Whether you’re in Scotland or abroad, it’s a wonderful chance to dive into Scottish tradition and enjoy Burns’ poetic masterpieces.
Here’s how you can organize one:
1. Start by getting a collection of Burns’ poems. They’re affordable and easy to find in bookshops, or you might stumble across one in a thrift store for a bargain. A physical copy is ideal, but if you can’t find one, online versions are a great alternative.
2. Invite friends and family who won’t mind if you indulge in a bit too much Scotch! It’s even better if someone can play the bagpipes, but playing bagpipe tunes from YouTube or music apps works too.
3. Share the poems with your guests and ask each of them to pick a couple that they connect with.
4. Prepare some traditional food. A Burns Supper isn’t complete without tasty fare. Typically, this includes “neeps and tatties”—mashed potatoes and turnips—with haggis. If haggis is hard to find outside Scotland, minced beef or lamb mixed with garlic, onions, thyme, and oats wrapped in filo pastry serves as a good substitute.
5. While enjoying wine, port, and whisky, take turns reciting the poems everyone has chosen. If you have haggis, the traditional “Address to a Haggis” speech is a must before dining. Some phrases might be tricky to pronounce, but that’s part of the fun, especially after a few whisky glasses!
Hosting a Burns Supper is a memorable way to pay homage to Robert Burns while sharing good company, poetry, and, of course, haggis.
